Hundreds of thousands of travelers were left stranded across the Middle East on Sunday after coordinated U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran triggered widespread airspace closures and airport shutdowns, paralyzing one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors.

Tourists and business passengers crowded hotels and terminals, scrambling to rebook flights or reach airlines through overwhelmed call centers. With little clarity on when airspace would reopen, several governments advised their citizens to shelter in place.

Major regional hubs — including Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport and Hamad International Airport in Doha — suspended operations following reported strikes. Dubai International, among the busiest airports globally and a key transit point between Europe, Africa and Asia, was among those affected.

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, prospective migrant worker Mohammad Abdul Mannan waited anxiously at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, determined to depart for the Gulf despite the escalating conflict.

“We have set out to go for work, and we must go,” he said. “My only concern is how to go abroad and how to earn an income.”

In Dubai, witnesses reported hearing fighter jets overhead and explosions, including a missile strike that hit the Fairmont Palm Hotel. Emirates Airline suspended all flights to and from Dubai until at least Monday afternoon, leaving thousands seeking alternative arrangements.

Louise Herrle and her husband, returning to Pittsburgh after touring Dubai and Abu Dhabi, saw their Washington-bound flight canceled with no immediate option to reschedule.

“We’re in the hotel room, we are not leaving it,” Herrle said. “You’re not going to give it up until we know we have a flight out of here.”

Thousands of Flights Canceled

Aviation analytics firm Cirium said the total number of stranded passengers is difficult to determine. However, it estimates that roughly 90,000 travelers transit daily through Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi on Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways alone.

Airspace closures extended across Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, according to flight-tracking services and government notices. More than 2,800 flights were canceled Sunday across the region, including in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, according to FlightAware data. Major international airports — including London, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangkok, Istanbul, Colombo and Paris — also reported dozens of cancellations.

Air India suspended flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until Tuesday. Israel’s EL AL said it would prioritize repatriating stranded citizens once airspace reopens and halted ticket sales for flights through March 21 to accommodate affected passengers.

UAE authorities confirmed casualties from the strikes. Officials at Dubai International Airport reported four injuries. Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport said one person was killed and seven others injured in a drone strike. Kuwait International Airport also reported strikes. Iran has not publicly claimed responsibility.

Disruptions Expected to Persist

Airlines urged passengers to verify flight status online before traveling to airports. Several carriers offered rebooking waivers or full refunds, though industry analysts warned that disruptions could continue for days.

“For travelers, there’s no way to sugarcoat this,” said Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group. “You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end.”

Former Federal Aviation Administration official Mike McCormick said airspace may gradually reopen once military authorities clarify operational zones and assess ongoing missile threats.

The impact has rippled far beyond the Middle East. In Bali, Indonesia, more than 1,600 tourists were stranded after five Middle East-bound flights were canceled or postponed, airport authorities said.

Airlines operating long-haul routes through the region have begun rerouting flights south over Saudi Arabia, increasing travel times and fuel costs.

Kristy Ellmer, an American business traveler in Dubai, said she has booked multiple flights in anticipation of sudden reopenings while remaining cautious amid continuing explosions.

“You hear a lot of explosions at times — hundreds of them,” Ellmer said. “When we hear them, we don’t stay near the windows just in case the glass breaks.”

With airspace closures still in effect and tensions high, travelers worldwide face continued uncertainty as aviation authorities assess the security situation across the region.

Typhoon Dolphin brought torrential rain to Shanghai on Monday, August 10, 2026, flooding roads and commercial areas and severely disrupting air travel in the city.

The weather system forced Shanghai’s two airports to cancel a combined 943 flights, while their overall passenger capacity was reduced by nearly 40%.

The disruption followed Dolphin’s landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening. The typhoon struck areas south and west of Shanghai with maximum sustained winds of 151 kilometres per hour near its centre.

Dolphin later weakened into a tropical storm, but its remaining rain bands continued to bring heavy precipitation across large parts of eastern China.

Shanghai, the country’s second-most populous city, experienced widespread flooding, including in several major commercial districts.

China Eastern Airlines said it was working to gradually restore flights to Shanghai, Zhejiang and other affected destinations as weather conditions improve.

Source: Asia News Network

Thousands of WestJet cabin crew members began strike action on Aug. 2 after nearly 11 months of contract negotiations failed to result in a new labor agreement, triggering widespread disruptions across the airline's network.

The industrial action involves around 4,400 flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125. The strike officially started after talks between the union and the airline ended without a new collective agreement.

The labor dispute has already forced WestJet to cancel more than 300 flights, affecting travel plans across its domestic and international routes.

Ahead of the strike, the airline had begun grounding portions of its Boeing 737 fleet as a precautionary measure to minimize operational disruption and reduce the risk of leaving passengers and aircraft stranded during the work stoppage.

Source: Aero Time

Oman Air has warned passengers of potential delays on selected flights following temporary airspace restrictions and exceptional operating conditions that have disrupted aircraft movements across parts of its network.

In a travel advisory issued on Saturday, the national carrier said the operational challenges had affected flight schedules and that its teams were working continuously to minimise disruption, maintain services, and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

The airline did not identify the routes impacted by the restrictions or provide a timeline for when normal schedules are expected to resume.

Oman Air said passengers affected by schedule changes will be notified directly via WhatsApp, email, or SMS, provided their booking records contain current contact details.

To reduce the impact on travel plans, the airline added that it may rebook eligible passengers on flights operated by other carriers where suitable alternatives are available.

Source: Gulf News

Global commercial aviation reached a new milestone on July 23, with flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 recording 153,359 commercial flights in a single day, the highest daily total in the platform's history.

The record comes despite recent signs of weaker passenger demand, softer ticket sales and disruptions caused by conflict in the Middle East, highlighting the resilience of airline operations during the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season.

The milestone reflects a contrast within the aviation industry, where airlines continue to operate extensive summer schedules even as demand has weakened in some major markets.

Industry observers say the record was driven by peak holiday travel, with carriers deploying maximum capacity to meet seasonal demand. Many airlines, including major U.S. operators, have maintained record summer schedules as travellers continue to prioritise leisure travel despite economic uncertainty and higher travel costs.

Earlier this month, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that global passenger demand fell 2.2% year-on-year in May, marking a second consecutive monthly decline. Domestic traffic dropped 3.1%, with demand down 1.9% in the United States and 6.2% in China's domestic market.

IATA also reported weaker forward ticket sales for the second half of 2026, signalling a more cautious outlook for the industry later in the year.

Analysts noted that flight activity and passenger demand do not always move in tandem, as airlines can maintain high flight frequencies through larger schedules and pricing strategies designed to stimulate demand.

According to IATA, the May slowdown was largely driven by the conflict in the Middle East, where traffic among regional airlines declined 28.4%. Excluding the region, global passenger demand increased 0.7% year-on-year, indicating that the weakness was concentrated rather than widespread.

Despite ongoing challenges, including elevated fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty, the record number of daily flights underscores the continued strength of global airline operations during the summer travel season.

Source: Newsweek